PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti - 70 Soldiers from Fort Knox's 3d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) landed at Toussaint L'Ouverture Airport in Port Au Prince Feb. 3, to support relief operations in Haiti.
The group of Soldiers joined over 50 3d ESC members already on the ground forming Joint Logistics Command - Haiti, led by 3d ESC commander, Col. (P) Robin Akin. The command is providing logistical expertise to the relief effort in the earthquake-ravaged country. About half of the 3d ESC's Soldiers are now deployed to Haiti.
Fort Knox resident and Austin, Minn. native Maj. Chad Nangle was one of the first 3d ESC Soldiers on the ground in Haiti.
Nangle says that the first large group of ESC Soldiers who arrived in Haiti built the JLC task organization, established the initial coordination and relationships with other governmental agencies and the other military services and established the JLC Headquarters at the airport.
But all that was just the beginning.
The first group of Soldiers also worked with the Navy and the Coast Guard to reopen Haiti's main port, moved the JLC headquarters to another part of the airport, established two logistics hubs away from the airport, and planned for a two-week World Food Program surge currently underway.
All that was accomplished before the main group of ESC Soldiers even arrived.
After an initial deployment of several key ESC leaders in the days following Haiti's devastating Jan. 12 earthquake, 41 more 3d ESC Soldiers arrived in Haiti on Jan. 29.
"That first group that came in gave us the necessary staff that was able to begin establishing commodities management," said Nangle.
As for the arrival of the main group, Nangle added, "That's staff augmentation that will allow us to go 24 hours a day."
Less than six months after returning from a 15-month deployment handling the logistics mission for the entire Iraqi Theater, the 3d ESC finds itself in Haiti, not supporting a war effort, but rather a humanitarian mission. Nangle feels that the unit is up to the task.
"Although it's different than what we did downrange in Iraq, the systems and processes we use are the same," said Nangle.
Photos and story by Sgt. 1st Class Dave McClain, 3d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) public affairs. For queries, contact 3d Sustainment Command Public Affairs at (502) 624-8601. For high-resolution photos and stories by the 3d Sustainment Command, please contact the Digital Video and Imagery Distribution System at (678) 421-6612 or access them online at http://www.dvidshub.net/units/3sce.
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